Hockey One : Everything you want to know about Australia’s new elite domestic league

Hockey Australia today unveils the beginning of an exciting new era for the code in Australia with the launch of a new elite domestic league – Hockey One.

Hockey One represents a major shift for Hockey in Australia as a re-imagined sport and entertainment product that puts fans first, with a new concept, new format, new club identities, new rule innovations and new access for fans with three home matchdays for every club.

In more exciting news for fans, Kayo Sports, Australia’s multi-sport streaming service will show games live with the finals also to be televised live on FOX SPORTS.

The first edition of Hockey One later this year will feature seven new clubs based in Australia’s major cities playing home-and-away matches from late September before a finals series in mid-November, with concurrent men’s and women’s competitions played in a unique double-header format.

As the new name implies, Hockey One unifies and celebrates male and female Hockey as a truly gender equal sport, with all clubs bringing together their teams under the one umbrella of one team name and always playing double-headers, enhancing the fan matchday experience.

The schedule for the inaugural Hockey One season will be confirmed in due course along with information on rules, coach appointments and player signings.

BACKGROUND

NEW CONCEPT

Hockey One is the new league name, representing elite and unified (with males and females under the same umbrella) with a new logo, replacing the Australian Hockey League (AHL) as the elite domestic competition and pathway for Hockeyroos, Kookaburras and the next generation of Australian talent.

NEW FORMAT

Hockey One moves from the AHL’s carnival style tournament to an eight-week home-and-away league running from late September to mid-November. The male and female leagues will run concurrently.

There will six home-and-away rounds, with each club playing three home matches, before semi-finals and Grand Finals in mid-November. Every matchday will always include male and female double-headers.

NEW CLUB IDENTITIES

There will be seven new clubs with new names, colours, logos and identities in Australia’s seven major cities, with male and female teams unified under one name.

Fans will have unprecedented access to watch Australia’s elite domestic

Hockey, with Hockey One home-and-away matches to be live streamed on Kayo Sports and all finals on Fox Sports.

Every club will host three home-and-away matchdays in their market offering fans in every major city unprecedented access to their heroes.

NEW RULES

Several rule innovations were trialled during last year’s AHL including ‘Pump Plays’, field goal conversions and ‘shoot-outs’ in the event of a drawn game.

Feedback from players, coaches and fans is being assessed for inclusion in the rules and regulations for Hockey One to help create celebratory moments and excitement for fans without altering the integrity of the real Hockey contest.